Somali pirates threaten Spanish hostages

Oct 28, 2009, 13:24 GMT

Madrid - Somali pirates holding a Spanish fishing vessel with 36 crew have demanded the release of two fellow pirates captured and flown to Spain a fortnight ago, media reports said Wednesday.

The pirates are now threatening to hand some of the captured fishermen over to the families of the detained pirates.

'We will then see the result,' press reports quoted one of the pirates as saying.

Pirates seized MS Alakrana on October 2 and took it to off Harardhere in Somalia.

Two of the suspected pirates were captured by a Spanish frigate after they left the trawler, and flown to Spain for interrogation and eventual trial.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Wednesday the government was doing 'all it can' to obtain the release of the fishermen, who include 16 Spaniards.

The pirates are reportedly requesting a ransom of 4 million dollars. The government has been accused of allowing the negotiations to drag on.

The National Court meanwhile ordered a new medical investigation to determine the age of one of the detained suspects, who has claimed to be a minor.

Cabdiweli Cabdullahi, alias Abdou Willy, has been subjected to several tests without experts being able to obtain full certainty about his age.

Suspicions that he could be a minor led to his transfer from prison to a youth detention centre. If it is confirmed that he is less than 18 years old, he would pass under the authority of a judge responsible for minors.